Oprah stands to make a bundle off her e-magazine. It's no wonder the iPad was her ultimate favorite thing.

The show's opening was an absolutely disgusting display of gluttony. Thank goodness her show doesn't air at Foxconn.

The taxes will be a sizable chunk of the purchase price. Does the Big O cover those costs, too?

Depends, some of the things she just buys, some things are donated, VW is not only donating the 275 2011 Beetles they are paying all taxes and 'charges' on them, so they really are 'free' to the audience members, unlike a game show where you win a new car and it costs you $5,000 up front to get it.

"From our very first moment together, I knew it had stolen my heart," Winfrey told her audience, before she "cued the angels" and an iPad was lowered from the ceiling sporting angel's wings. The television host pranced around the device as audience members screamed with excitement.

A bit OTT but I'm prancing...

Quote:

"Words cannot describe what I feel for this magnificent, magnificent device," she said, holding a 3G model in her hand. "I really think it's the best invention of the century so far."

I'm believing, i'm believing...

Quote:

Winfrey's promotion of the iPad comes just days after a digital version of her publication, O, The Oprah Magazine, became available on the iPad (iTunes link). The $3.99 software is billed as a "taste of the December issue," and includes an animated cover with Winfrey personally unveiling the issue.

Oh you had to go and spoil it didn't you

A reputation is not built upon the restful domain of one's comfort zone; it is made out of stalwart exposition of your core beliefs, for all challenges to disprove them as irrelevant hubris.- Berp...

Of course not. However, 'Think Different' now would apply to another company, no?

Why refer to an advertising campaign that's been over for ten years? Apple's commercial message is changing constantly.

More to the point, it does become more difficult to maintain a hip image as a product becomes culturally mainstream. All this tells us is that Apple will need to continually recalibrate their message. Which they are already doing. Which is why Albert Einstein is no longer in the picture.

What I'd really like to know is if Steve gave those ipads to Oprah for free, or did she buy them.

I am sure they were free. Apple records it as an marketing expense probably around 150K. VW on the other hand, spent several million dollars in terms of the value and taxes for the Beetles donated. Considering Oprah's influence, that's probably a pretty sweet deal.

Whom are you talking to? It seems that you speak to some one but you did not specified.

Those people are hysterical....
Or, I get it. They now can make iTunes purchases from iPad and listen to Beatles.

And Oprah definitely does not read much (e.g. books) from this glossy screen...

Do they (hosts of such shows) speak only about popular things or is that Apple who comes to them to make it popular?

Disclaimer: I am very positive about Beatles going digital on iTunes.

The vultures = people who consistently post negatively on AI about all things Apple. If you don't like Apple just don't come here and you can live in your own little bubble. I don't support Android, so therefore I don't go to Android blogs sites. Is it that hard to understand?

Her influence is unbelievably far-reaching. It's quite hard to fathom. Her endorsements are instant goldmine.

She did piece on Mad Cow disease and how proper safeguards aren't in place. "Stopped me cold from eating another burger" Well, the beef prices plummeted and Texas ranchers filed suit for damages they claimed she caused. You don't want to be on her sh*t list for certain. Kiss of death.

Her influence is unbelievably far-reaching. It's quite hard to fathom. Her endorsements are instant goldmine.

She did piece on Mad Cow disease and how proper safeguards aren't in place. "Stopped me cold from eating another burger" Well, the beef prices plummeted and Texas ranchers filed suit for damages they claimed she caused. You don't want to be on her sh*t list for certain. Kiss of death.

Her audience is the mass of ignorant doles that are glued to television, no surprise there.

Why refer to an advertising campaign that's been over for ten years? Apple's commercial message is changing constantly.

More to the point, it does become more difficult to maintain a hip image as a product becomes culturally mainstream. All this tells us is that Apple will need to continually recalibrate their message. Which they are already doing. Which is why Albert Einstein is no longer in the picture.

Unfortunately, Einstein has also become mainstream. His theories are now widely taught and generally accepted. When was the last time someone called the theory of relativity "fringe science"?

Why refer to an advertising campaign that's been over for ten years? Apple's commercial message is changing constantly.

More to the point, it does become more difficult to maintain a hip image as a product becomes culturally mainstream. All this tells us is that Apple will need to continually recalibrate their message. Which they are already doing. Which is why Albert Einstein is no longer in the picture.

Agreed, but again there are people who identify with the Apple of 10 years ago who are less able to identify with the Apple of today. It's not a criticism of Apple, of those people or anyone else. It's just an observation.

Also, it's quite hard to maintain a corporate image and culture if, on the one hand one of your products is ubiquitous to its funtion (like the iPod) and another is far more exclusive (like the Mac) - especially when your message for selling one is market share, and the message for selling the other is being a bit different (at least implied). I think Apple has done a great job of this so far of balacing these, especially compared to some other companies.

Having said all that, sometimes going mainstream is the first step to becoming irrelevant.

They are stupid, but you're missing the point. They are happy because everything she mentions on these shows they get one free. Unlike MacWorld.

Yes, but she isn't giving them something they've longed for. I bet most of them had no interest in an iPad until that moment. You can't even chalk it up to rampant consumerism, because if it was just some guy giving away iPads on the street people wouldn't weep on their knees. That is a demonstration of pure Oprah fanaticism.

Agreed, but again there are people who identify with the Apple of 10 years ago who are less able to identify with the Apple of today. It's not a criticism of Apple, of those people or anyone else. It's just an observation.

Also, it's quite hard to maintain a corporate image and culture if, on the one hand one of your products is ubiquitous to its funtion (like the iPod) and another is far more exclusive (like the Mac) - especially when your message for selling one is market share, and the message for selling the other is being a bit different (at least implied). I think Apple has done a great job of this so far of balacing these, especially compared to some other companies.

Having said all that, sometimes going mainstream is the first step to becoming irrelevant.

The Apple of ten years ago was perhaps one-tenth the size of Apple today, so correspondingly, the number of their customers who identify with Apple circa 2000 is a relatively small proportion of the people they've now reached. I believe the "Think Different" campaign was targeted primarily at Apple loyalists, to make them feel better about sticking with the Mac. It certainly didn't move the Mac market share needle very much. And I sure don't see it being very relevant to Apple's current market message.

But I take your point that Apple has to be careful as they move into this next phase. It's difficult to promote an image of hipness, which I think they still do, when your products are already in so many hands. It's not irrelevance that I worry about so much, it's a muddied image, which comes from a corporation that loses its way (fill in your favorite example here). So long as Apple knows what they are about, I think customers will get that message.